Instagram is the worst app for your mental health, according to a new study released by the U.K.’s Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).

Researchers surveyed nearly 1,500 14 to 24 year olds and found that heavy usage of the photo sharing app led to poor body image and sleep, as well as higher levels of anxiety and depression.

.@YouTube only net positive platform for mental health whilst @Twitter – @facebook – @Snapchat & @instagram all net negative #StatusOfMind pic.twitter.com/E95Ob2D1vp

— RSPH (@R_S_P_H) May 19, 2017

Although “FOMO”–aka the “fear of missing out”–may not be a real a mental condition, it has been shown to take a serious toll on young people; the survey found that users who spent more than two hours on social media were more likely to report poor mental health, increased levels of psychological distress, and suicidal ideation.

The #StatusOfMind report explains:

This phenomenon has even been labelled as ‘Facebook depression’ by researchers who suggest that the intensity of the online world – where teens and young adults are constantly contactable, face pressures from unrealistic representations of reality, and deal with online peer pressure – may be responsible for triggering depression or exacerbating existing conditions.

“Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect’,” one survey responder explained about the app.

Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were found to be similarly damaging to mental health, counteracting positive effects like self-expression, self-identity, and community building.

Here is the @instagram profile that led to it being ranked worst for young people’s mental health and wellbeing in our report #StatusOfMind pic.twitter.com/9SbfoQwMY1

— RSPH (@R_S_P_H) May 19, 2017

Even with all of the negative side effects, quitting social media altogether can be can be extremely hard for users, according to Shirley Cramer, chief executive of RSPH.

RSPH and the Young Health Movement are now calling on social media companies to:

• Introduce a pop-up heavy usage warning on social media
• Identify users who could be suffering from mental health problems by their posts, and discretely signpost to support
• Highlight when photos of people have been digitally manipulated

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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A new study by Danish researchers at the University of Copenhagen shows that your birth control pills might raise the risk of depression. The pills contain many hormones, so the theory that birth control pills can increase depression has been floated before, but this new Danish study is one of the largest and most comprehensive looks into the subject to date. The study looked at health records for one million Danish women between the ages of 15 and 34.

The study shows differences in rates of depression between types of hormone used, and also between oral or non-oral birth control. Women were grouped together based on whether they used hormonal contraceptives, including women who had done so in the previous six months, and those who do not. After over six years of following the women, an analysis of the data showed that the women using combination pills, that contain both estrogen and progestin, were 23 percent more likely than non-users to be on an antidepressant. But the numbers for women who took pills only containing progestin were even worse–34 percent more likely. Other, non-oral types of birth control also saw high rates of depression. According to the researchers that is probably because of the higher doses of hormones in those types of contraceptives.

This naturally created a ton of reactions on social media. Some were digitally shaking their heads–isn’t this already common knowledge?

I thought this was very common knowledge, but yes. The pill makes you depressed. It is insane. https://t.co/B8zi9evg2i

— Allie Goertz (@AllieGoertz) October 4, 2016

Cosmo said there’s a “new” risk about hormonal birth control increasing depression but like lol that’s really not anything new

— emo mommy (@emxmess) October 4, 2016

Many were just happy that the pill keeps them from getting pregnant.

The scientists who are claiming birth control causes depression don’t realize how psyched I am each month when I’m not pregnant

— Scarlet Meyer (@scarletkmeyer) October 4, 2016

And the risk seems to be the highest among teenage girls. Adding a birth control pill with even more hormones resulted in girls being 80 percent more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant when using a combination pill compared with non-using teenagers. Girls using progestin-only pills were 120 percent more likely.

However it is important to point out that the pills alone probably do not cause depression. Additionally, not all depressed women are treated with anti-depressants, and also some women may take anti-depressants without a formal depression diagnosis.

Maybe it’s time to invent a male birth control pill?

Birth control pills should be for men.

It makes more sense to unload a gun than to shoot at a bulletproof vest!

— TheBamaBromoRN (@BamaBromo_) September 30, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post New Study Shows Birth Control Pills Might Increase Risk of Depression appeared first on Law Street.

An estimated 15.7 million adults in the United States experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2014. Rates of depression have been on the rise in the United States for some time, causing some researchers to refer to it as an “epidemic.” The cause for this increase is unknown but some speculate that depression may be another “disease of modernity,” like obesity.

As with obesity, depression and the related condition of loneliness, are often linked to lifestyle. Modern life can isolate us from other human beings, causing loneliness and contributing to depression. Loneliness is more than just a negative feeling. It can have very real effects on a person’s health. Medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease are all made worse by loneliness. Even our immune systems are weakened when we are lonely.

Depression is also more than just a negative feeling. Everyone has, at some point, felt depressed. Many people experience what is commonly referred to as “situational depression,” which does not rise to the level of a mood disorder. The death of a loved one or a job loss can trigger an episode of depression. This is the type of depression most of us are familiar with and while therapy helps situational depression, drugs are typically not part of the treatment. However, for people suffering from depression that rises to the level of a depressive disorder, a kind of “chemical depression” where the person’s brain chemistry is misaligned in some way, drugs can be an important part of treatment.

Modern psychiatry has made amazing developments in the treatment of mental illness with drug therapy. Just a short time ago, a patient whose depression was resistant to treatment through therapy and medication had the option to try electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. (Some patients were forcibly electroshocked without their consent, which is a whole other ball of wax). ECT is incredibly controversial and not for the faint of heart. Today there may be a new solution for patients who find that their depression does not respond to therapy or FDA-approved drug treatments.

This new solution is not quite as controversial as ECT but there are concerns about the use of this drug to treat depression. How worried should we be about introducing ketamine as a treatment for depression?

Off-Label

Ketamine is commonly used in veterinary medicine to tranquilize or euthanize animals and it is even used to tranquilize humans as well, typically for surgical procedures. It is also sometimes used as a date-rape drug and is probably best known by its nickname: “Special K.” Ketamine a psychedelic drug like LSD or mushrooms, which can cause hallucinations in addition to general euphoria. It’s typically found at raves and parties, but it does have several medical applications. While its medical use comes with few side effects, ketamine abuse can lead to amnesia, incontinence, and death. Unsurprisingly, it is also highly addictive.

Even so, medical professionals are impressed with ketamine and its potential to be a nearly miraculous treatment for depression. In the video below, Dr. Sanjay Matthew, an expert on depression and professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, explains the emerging research on ketamine as a treatment. What makes ketamine such an exciting new option is the speed with which it delivers results. Most depression drugs take weeks or months to start working for patients. The wait time to see if the medication will even be effective is not just an inconvenience, as many people who need treatment are at a high risk for suicide; a two to three-month wait for relief could be fatal.

As Dr. Matthew explains, ketamine works in hours, not weeks. For some patients, it could literally be life-saving. There is, however, a risk to the use of ketamine as a treatment. Like all medicines, there are potential side effects. In ketamine’s case, the main danger is the likelihood of addiction. That potential certainly does exist, much like opioid pain-killers have dramatically increased the number of people addicted to pain medication, often spurring them to try heroin as well.

How Does it Work?

Ketamine works differently than traditional anti-depressant medications and would be most helpful for patients who have “treatment-resistant” depression. As many as 40 percent of depressed patients don’t get symptom relief from traditional anti-depressants. Most traditional anti-depressants work by creating new synapses in the brain’s serotonin reception system, which is why that treatment can take several weeks to be effective. By contrast, ketamine treatment fosters the creation of enzymes required to stimulate connections between existing synapses, which may be why the results with ketamine are so immediate. While 40 percent of depression cases can be resistant to treatment, in ketamine trials 70 percent of people with resistant depression improved dramatically with its use. The National Institute of Mental Health sponsored randomized trials for both depression and bipolar disorder that have found significant benefits from the use of ketamine.

Risks and Concerns 

This story from NPR highlights some of the concerns surrounding the use of ketamine, including the fact that it is not currently FDA-approved to treat depression. Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic since the Vietnam War, but it can also cause hallucinations and lead to addiction. It was made a Schedule III substance in 1999, putting it on par with LSD in the eyes of the law. This is why many companies are seeking to create drugs that are similar to ketamine in their effect on depression but without the high. Both a nasal spray and a pill are being explored by two different companies as potential treatment options. These drugs are all still currently in the clinical trial phase, so it could be years before any of them are approved for depression treatment.

Using an unapproved drug when other treatments have failed is grounds for asking questions, but it isn’t necessarily too dangerous for us to feel comfortable with. Even if the drug is highly addictive, it is still being administered by a physician–the dose is highly controlled. And it is being used to treat a population of people, severely depressed and suicidal patients, who are more likely to be self-medicating with drugs and alcohol if they aren’t otherwise helped. Versions of ketamine, either in new sprays or pills as well as its current use intravenously, have been used successfully for years in various medical settings. And while ketamine can be addictive and dangerous, the cost-benefit analysis on ketamine has already been done in other medical situations.

Split Responsibilities 

Part of the problem with the use of ketamine is not necessarily its addictive potential or the possible medical complications, but that it spans two different medical categories and doesn’t really “fit” into either space. Doctor Carlos Zarate Jr., the chief of neurobiology at the National Institute of Mental Health, explains that ketamine is typically administered by an anesthesiologist, who isn’t qualified to determine if a patient should be taking it. But a psychiatrist, who could tell if the patient is a candidate for the drug or not–for example, a bipolar person on the verge of a manic episode–isn’t necessarily willing to administer the actual treatment. A specialty clinic or research trial would have both hands on deck–a psychiatrist to manage the psychological aspects of treatment and an anesthesiologist to handle the medical aspects and potential complications.

Ketamine already has an established track record in the medical community as a drug that can be used to stop physical suffering. It is actually the go-to drug in emergency rooms for children with serious pain. Ketamine can cause hallucinations and an “altered” sense of reality, even at the low doses that are used to treat adults with depression. But most of the negative consequences, such as hallucinations and addictive behavior, come from the drug being used in much higher doses and not under doctor supervision. The risk is still there but it has already been proven to be a risk that doctors are willing to take in other medical situations.

The problem with ketamine is much like the problem with opioid painkiller abuse. The opioid epidemic comes not from having and using opioids, when they are needed, but from not treating opioids in a way that acknowledges how dangerous they can be. It was caused by patients, doctors and drug companies that advertised, falsely, that the likelihood of addiction is low, pushing painkillers as the wave of the future. (If you’re interested in the institutional contribution to the rise of the opioid epidemic take some time to watch Frontline’s “Chasing Heroin”). But the lessons to be learned from the opioid epidemic are not to avoid new drugs that have addictive potential. Almost all powerful drugs have the potential for addiction and most medications have potential side effects. It’s a cautionary tale that speaks to the need to monitor treatment and remove financial incentives for over-prescribing and over-promoting new wonder drugs. We should approach the use of ketamine carefully, but not deny its potential usefulness because it can be abused.

Conclusion

Ketamine is not a miracle cure for depression. But, according to Dennis Hartman, who participated in a research trial for the drug treatment with the National Institute of Mental Health, it saved his life and allowed him to manage his depression the way one would manage any other chronic illness. In 2012, he helped found the Ketamine Advocacy Network, which advocates for the drug to be used as a treatment for depression. When you visit the website it starts a tracker which will count how many suicides have occurred, pharmaceutical sales have been generated, and how much economic loss has resulted from depression. If you check out the site, you will likely be surprised by how fast those numbers climb.

Sometimes the “next big thing” is a hoax or a Pandora’s Box with consequences we do not foresee–just as we did not have the foresight to anticipate the rampant abuse that would result from an effort to relieve pain with the development of opioid painkillers. But sometimes the “next big thing” in medicine is something like penicillin. If every time Alexander Fleming came across a moldy cantaloupe he threw it out, the world would be a very different (and far less populated) place.

Resources

The Washington Post: A One Time Party Drug Is Helping People With Deep Depression 

The Washington Post: Loneliness Grows From Individual Ache To Public Health Hazard 

The National Center For Biotechnology Information: Depression as a Disease of Modernity: Explanations For Increasing Prevalence 

DrugInfo: Australian Drug Foundation, Ketamine

NPR: Ketamine Depression Treatments Inspired By Club Drug Move Ahead In Tests

NPR: Club Drug Ketamine Gains Traction As a Treatment For Depression

Ketamine Advocacy Network

PBS: The Real Story Behind The World’s First Antibiotic

National Institute of Mental Health: Rapid Antidepressant Works by Boosting Brain’s Connections

Al Jazeera America: Could Ketamine Become the Next Great Depression Drug?

Mary Kate Leahy

Mary Kate Leahy (@marykate_leahy) has a J.D. from William and Mary and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Manhattanville College. She is also a proud graduate of Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart. She enjoys spending her time with her kuvasz, Finn, and tackling a never-ending list of projects. Contact Mary Kate at staff@LawStreetMedia.com

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Mental illness is something that the American justice system has been dealing with for decades; particularly how to handle suspects suffering from it, how to determine who is mentally ill, and what are the best practices for apprehending, sentencing, and holding those people.

Mental illnesses are defined medically as “disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.” There’s no easy way to define a mental illness, and certain diseases don’t affect everyone in the same ways. That ambiguity is where many problems stem from–how should police deal with those who have mental illnesses?

Accusations of Police Brutality Against the Mentally Ill

The United Nations

The United States had to stand before the United Nations in Geneva last week to defend its human rights record. While this is a routine endeavor, it is still something that reflects badly upon the country and its leaders. There were a lot of topics to cover, but the most prevalent was police brutality. A staggering 120 countries were there to offer recommendations, making it one of the best-attended hearings in the history of the UN, and each country was given 65 seconds to speak. Countries from every corner of the globe stressed that police brutality and discrimination has to end. One of the main things that the discussions centered upon was the way that police officers treat mentally ill suspects.

Human Rights Watch Report

That wasn’t the end of the criticism over the way that the United States treats people with mental illnesses in the justice system. Also last week, Human Rights Watch produced a report that chronicled the daily lives of mentally ill inmates in America’s prisons, showing that the issues in the justice system extend far beyond police brutality. The report, coming in at a staggering 127 pages, is packed with stories of neglect, abuse, improper medical care, corporal punishment, and unnecessary solitary confinement.

Some of the stories reported were particularly troubling. There is one incident about a man with schizophrenia who lunged for a police officer. As punishment, they strapped him to a chair, put a mask over his face, and sprayed pepper spray directly into his face under the mask. There are stories of many inmates who were found dead or unconscious laying in pools of their own urine, vomit, blood, and feces.

One of the most harrowing stories is what happened to 50-year-old Darren Rainey, who, according to the report, had a “diagnosis of schizophrenia, [and] was housed in the inpatient mental health unit at Florida’s Dade Correctional Institution while serving two years on a cocaine charge.” His mental health caused him, at times, to smear feces on himself. The correctional officers would then have to transport him to the showers and help him clean up. The report alleges that the officers took Rainey to a broken shower that could be turned to scalding. He could not control the water nor leave the shower as the police closed the door. He stayed in the scalding shower for nearly two hours. When the police finally opened the door, they found him unresponsive and without a pulse. When they moved him, it was discovered that “he had burns over 90 percent of his body, and his skin was hot/warm to the touch and slipped off when touched.” There has not yet been a medical report on his death and the police investigation is ongoing.

The Treatment Advocacy Center estimates that there are about 360,000 prisoners in 5,100 American jails and prisons with serious mental illnesses–particularly schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. That statistic has caused many people to wonder what exactly are the “rules” that the police have to follow when dealing with the mentally ill?

Should the mentally ill even be incarcerated?

There have been many discussions about exactly what rights a person with a mental illness has when he is arrested. Of course, there should be differences depending on the type and severity of the mental illness. But as a general rule, most protocols haven’t been broken up that way–instead, there are blanket policies for everyone, and they often deal more with procedures that need to be followed after the arrest. There are many allegations that the police act too harshly when dealing with suspects who have mental illnesses.

Some states have taken their own unique approaches. California, for example, has thoroughly questioned whether or not the Americans with Disabilities Act protects mentally ill suspects from being arrested and brought into the traditional justice system. That notion stems from a situation where a mentally ill woman, Theresa Sheehan, was shot five times after she waved a knife at police officers–police officers who knew she was mentally ill, as she had a history of mental breaks and was in a halfway house. The case was recently investigated by the United States Supreme Court.

In light of that case, Ron Honberg, Director of Policy and Legal Affairs at the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), said that law enforcement officers “have become first responders to people in psychiatric crisis,” but that “oftentimes, their traditional academy training doesn’t really teach police how to respond to such crisis.”

The Supreme Court found that the police were “immune” in the Sheehan case, stating:

A federal district court sided with the police, ruling that it would be unreasonable to ask officers trying to detain a violent, mentally disabled person to comply with the ADA before protecting themselves and others. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a jury should decide whether it was reasonable for the officers to use less confrontational tactics.

Testing and Treatment

So what are the policies once someone who may have a mental illness is actually arrested? If the police arrest someone whom they suspect is mentally ill, they are supposed to have them checked out by a mental health professional, which will typically result in a 24-to-72-hour stay in a mental health facility.

Family members of the mentally ill person can also ask for a police transport to the hospital if that was not an option during the arrest. This is sometimes called a “5150 hold.”

Certain states have stipulations against arrests of the mentally ill. A New York State guide for lawyers explains:

Under Criminal Procedure Law section 730, a judge who has reason to believe that a criminal defendant may be ‘incapacitated’ must order that the defendant undergo a psychiatric examination. ‘Incapacitated’ in this context means that because of mental disease or defect, the defendant is unable to understand the proceedings against him or assist in his own defense. A ‘730 exam,’ as such exams are referred to, can be requested by a defense attorney or an assistant district attorney, or may be ordered upon the judge’s own initiative.

Other states have similar stipulations. Denver has seen 11 deaths in 2015 after police have been called to the site of a mental breakdown–including one where a veteran was wielding scissors. The state is looking at its training and laws, but also considering on-site questions and tests.

The Supreme Court of Michigan recently ruled in a case against police that they used force against a mentally ill inmate:

That the evidence provided by plaintiff, indicating that the police were inadequately trained in dealing with the mentally ill and using impact projectiles, is sufficient to survive summary judgment. Plaintiff’s expert, retired Captain Van Blaircom, who is former chief of police for the City of Bellevue, Washington, testified that the Defendant officers should have known that the manner in which they approached the decedent would escalate the confrontation. According to Van Blaircom, the officer’s treatment of the situation, combined with their statements that a mentally ill person should be treated as any other person, regardless of the situation, indicates that the police department’s training dealing with the mentally ill falls well below the reasonable standard of contemporary care.

Conclusion

Overall, there seems to be some movement toward reform for police brutality against the mentally ill, but there is still a lot of ground to be covered, and covered quickly before anyone else dies. Procedures need to be enacted to ensure that officers deal fairly and effectively with suspects who are dealing with a mental illness. It is only through developing those policies that we can ensure all Americans are treated humanely.

Resources

ABC News: High Court: Police Immune Over Arrest of Mentally Ill Woman

Human Rights Watch: Callous and Cruel

Guardian: Police Shooting of Mentally Ill Woman Reaches US Supreme Court

Mayo Clinic: Mental Illness

Public Agency Training Council: Dealing With the Mentally Ill and Emotionally Disturbed in the Use of Force Context

Urban Institute: The Processing and Treatment of Mentally Ill Persons in the Criminal Justice System

Urban Justice Center’s Mental Health Project: How to Help

Aljazeera America: US Cited for Police Violence, Racism in Scathing UN Review on Human Rights

Coloradoan: Supreme Court to Rule on Arrests of Mentally Ill

Mother Jones: There Are Ten Times More Mentally Ill People Behind Bars Than in State Hospitals

National Alliance on Mental Illness: A Guide to Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System

National Institute of Corrections: Mental Illness in Corrections

Schizophrenia: How to Help a Mentally Ill Family Member Who Has Been Arrested

Treatment Advocacy Center: More Mentally Ill Persons Are in Jails and Prisons Than Hospitals: A Survey of the States

LA Times: L.A. Police Accused of Excessive Force in Arrest of Mentally Ill Man

Mental Illness Policy Org: Criminalization of Individuals with Severe Psychiatric Disorders

Noel Diem

Law Street contributor Noel Diem is an editor and aspiring author based in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is an alum of Albright College where she studied English and Secondary Education. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, theater, fashion, and literature. Contact Noel at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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This won’t be news to anyone who experiences it, but this “just in”–being targeted and locked up by racism and the criminal justice system dramatically increases people’s experiences of depression, suicide ideation, and many other types of “mental illness.”

Except here’s the thing: like Bruce E. Levine over at AlterNet has shown, the U.S. government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has shoved under the table a survey that demonstrates the explicit connections between high rates of mental illness and mass incarceration, racism, unemployment, heterosexsim, and classism.

One of the most damning aspects of the survey is that the rate and severity of experiencing mental illness is double for adults who have contact with the criminal justice system compared with adults who don’t. (Seriously. Check it out.) There seems to be the perception that this country locks up people because they experience mental illness: this is often true, and is repulsive. But if we want to look at the proverbial big picture, we also have to consider the ways that mass incarceration–and the solitary confinement often involved with imprisonment–and the virulent racism that shapes the prison-industrial complex actually cause mental health issues.

Levine writes, “[f]or decades doctors — and Big Pharma — have pointed to neuroscience [as explanations for “mental illness”]. Cultural variables are often more telling.” Indeed. But by SAMHSA’s logic, why damn the system that produces these mental illness-causing oppressions when you can convince people to buy overpriced, toxic pharmaceuticals drugs and therapy from it?

Of course, people who experience these oppressions don’t need government-sponsored studies and surveys to elucidate the ways that racism, mass incarceration, classism, and heterosexism make many of us live with severely impaired mental health.

Personal Example Time: I am certain that my being a white queer woman in this society fundamentally shaped my diagnoses as depressed and bipolar. Expected to be easily “corrupted” and traumatized because of my whiteness and white privilege; expected to be dedicated to others and feel guilty for putting myself first because of my womanness and heterosexism; expected to daily endure the structural and interpersonal impacts of sexism and queerphobia and always be “polite” about it…my diagnoses (and the feelings that precipitated seeking them) are not surprising.

White men–much like those who shoot people in schools and much like Germanwings co-pilot Andrea Lupitz–are routinely portrayed empathetically by mainstream media sources (instead of being called terrorists) because of their emotional angst and “understandable” mental illness when they kill over 100 people. However, people (especially working-class women) of color who defend themselves against attack are imprisoned, villified, and pathologized. In light of this, the consequences of not addressing racism, heterosexism, and classism in mental health are… well… life-threatening.

And far, far beyond depressing: the causes and consequences are outraging.

Jennifer Polish

Jennifer Polish is an English PhD student at the CUNY Graduate Center in NYC, where she studies non/human animals and the racialization of dis/ability in young adult literature. When she’s not yelling at the computer because Netflix is loading too slowly, she is editing her novel, doing activist-y things, running, or giving the computer a break and yelling at books instead. Contact Jennifer at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Mass Incarceration Leads to Depression, So Why Don’t We Stop? appeared first on Law Street.

The transition from teenage years to adulthood can be a stressful shift for many people. Making decisions that shape their future and becoming more self-sufficient can be made even more challenging with mental illness. Young adults between 18 and 25 have higher rates of mental illness and substance use disorder than adults 26 years of age and older. Some argue that rates of mental illness in contemporary young adults can be attributed in part to advancements in technology. By actively participating in social media, many of today’s youth compare themselves to their perceptions of their peers as modeled online. According to Larkin Callaghan of the 2×2 Project, a public health science site, teenagers especially “now rely so much on external and immediate gratification, social status and image, and the superficial gain they get from social media that they are forgoing values that contribute to a sound internal life.”

Existing data on mental illnesses in young Americans exposes the unfortunate reality that a significant portion face significant challenges.

• Nearly 6.4 million people aged 18 to 25 had mental illness, representing almost one in five young adults in America.
• 10.6 million people in 2012 reported an unmet need for mental health care.

Even though adolescents and young adults are extremely vulnerable to mental health problems, many go without proper treatment services. These clinical interventions are imperative in supporting the transition to a healthy adulthood while minimizing damage to the individual. During this formative period it is important to reduce the negative consequences and promote positive mental health awareness. Read on to understand what is being done about mental illness in young Americans.

Depression

There are a vast amount of mental illnesses that people may suffer from, and often an individual may have more than one at a time. Everyone is not affected the same way by the same disease, and there is not a one-size-fits-all cure. The following is only a glimpse into depression, one of the more common illnesses affecting young adults.

It was once believed that children could not suffer from depression. If a teen were to show symptoms, they were written off as being moody and that it was a normal part of the growing-up experience, but we now know that that is certainly not the case. Although the signs of depression may differ from those of depressed adults, young adults are susceptible to this illness as well.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, approximately 11 percent of adolescents have a depressive disorder by age 18. For both girls and boys aged 10 to 19 years, depression is the predominant cause of illness. It is more common for girls to have depression as compared to boys; twice as many girls as boys are diagnosed.

One of the most tragic results of depression is suicide. Behind traffic accidents and deaths from HIV/AIDS, suicide is the third most common cause of death for people aged 15-24. Depression is not the sole cause of suicide, which is the result of many complex factors. Ninety percent of those who commit suicide are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. While more females than males are diagnosed with depression, there are four male suicides for every female suicide.

• It is estimated that there are eight to 25 attempted suicides for every death.
• One out of 10 adolescents aged 16 to 17 had major depressive episodes in the past year, and three quarters of these adolescents were female.
• 67 percent of young adults with mental illness do not receive treatment.

Policies

In an attempt to help those suffering with mental illnesses the government has sponsored various agencies and policies to focus on mental health reform.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration

In 1992 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) was created within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of the agency is to lessen the impact of mental illness and substance abuse on the American people. SAMHSA makes services, information, and research more accessible.

SAMHSA has an annual budget of $3 billion, with one third devoted to mental health and the remaining two thirds for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. The grants distributed to states by this agency serve as the main source of funding for public substance abuse and mental health treatment, usually through community mental health centers.

One of the ways SAMHSA has helped those with mental illnesses is by funding the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). The mission of NCTSN is to provide access to treatment and care to children who have been exposed to traumatic events.

The reason SAMHSA provides so many resources is that the agency acts on the assumption that prevention works, treatment is effective, and that people can recover from substance use and mental disorders

Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013

Introduced in the House of Representatives in December 2013 by Representative Tim Murphy, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act “fixes the nation’s broken mental health system by focusing programs and resources on psychiatric care for patients & families most in need of services.” As of July 2014 the bill has 94 co-sponsors; 59 Republicans and 35 Democrats, but has yet to be signed into law.

The Subcommittee on Health investigated the federal mental-health systems and worked with advocacy groups, professionals, and families. The bill has numerous proposals, such as:

• Creating an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders within the HHS. The Assistant Secretary will direct and supervise the Administrator of SAMHSA.
• The Assistant Secretary will also establish a National Mental Heath Policy Laboratory to: 1) collect information from grantees; 2) evaluate and distribute to grantees the best practices and services delivery models.
• Direct the Assistant Secretary and the HHS Secretary to, “award planning grants to enable up to 10 states to carry out 5-year demonstration programs to improve the provision of behavioral health services by federally qualified community behavioral.”
• Medicaid would be amended to forbid a state medical assistance plan from barring payment for same-day primary care service or mental health service to an individual at a federally qualified health center or community behavioral health center.
• Prescription drugs used to treat mental health disorders would be covered by Medicare.

Strengthening Mental Health in Our Communities Act of 2014

Sponsored by Congressman Rob Barber, the Strengthening Mental Health in Our Communities Act of 2014 would create a White House office on Mental Health Policy in the Executive Office. As of July 2014, the bill has been referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. The President would appoint a Director who would be charged with many duties including:

• Monitoring Federal activities with regard to mental health, serious mental illness, and serious emotional disturbances.
• Making recommendations to the HHS Secretary.
• Reviewing the Federal budgets on mental health services.
• Work with NGEs, state and local government to improve community-based mental health services.
• Annually updating and developing a summary of advancements in serious emotional disturbances and mental illnesses research.

Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made it somewhat less challenging for young people to receive mental health care. Federal health law now requires insurance companies to extend the same amount of coverage for mental health as a surgical or medical treatment would receive. Also, young people can remain on their parents’ insurance until they are 26 years old. If they do not stay on their parents’ insurance they are able to receive low-cost coverage through federal or state exchanges.

Influence of Technology

Technology is both a blessing and a curse to those with mental illness. By continuously being surrounded by technology, the brain is less able to unwind and de-stress. Excessive use of technology can lead to a feeling of isolation, and over-use of social media sites such as Facebook can promote narcissism. Users depend on others ‘sharing’ and ‘liking’ their posts to receive superficial gratification. Displaying individual success has taken priority over working with others to better the community.

However, advancements in technology are a practical way to provide people living with mental illness with helpful resources. It is now easier for individuals to quickly reach healthcare providers and find supportive online communities. By having care readily available, a greater portion of the population is able to receive treatment and support.

Apps, such as CBTReferee, are an example of this pioneering technology. CBTReferee allows users to catalog their thoughts as they occur, making them able to monitor flawed thinking. It is then easier for the person to evaluate and assess if their thoughts are unrealistic, unfair, or untrue.

BellyBio Interactive Breathing is a smartphone application aimed at helping those with anxiety and stress. The app generates soothing music and monitors breathing patterns while guiding the user through deep breathing exercises.

Conclusion

Mental illnesses disproportionately affects young Americans. By finding proper treatment. either through government programs or private care facilities, individuals with mental illnesses can be supported and managed in a healthy way.

Resources

Primary

Congress: H.R. 3717

Congress: Cosponsors: H.R.3717

HHS: Administration Issues Final Mental Health and Substance use Order Disorder Parity Rules

Congress: H.R.4574 – Strengthening Mental Health in Our Communities Act of 2014

World Health Organization: WHO Calls for Stronger Focus on Adolescent Health

Additional

SAMHSA: Serious Mental Health Challenges among Older Adolescents and Young Adults

2×2 Project: The Declining Mental Health of Millennials: Is Depression the New Normal?

Psych Central: The Many Problems with the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act

NCTSN: National Child Traumatic Stress Network

SAMHSA: Who We Are

NAMI: Depression in Children and Teens

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Facts About Suicide and Depression

CBTReferee: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Alex Hill

Alex Hill studied at Virginia Tech majoring in English and Political Science. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, she blames her incessant need to debate and write about politics on her proximity to the nation’s capital.

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Suicide is one of the ten most common causes of death in the United States. In fact, suicide is such a common  incident that locations to commit the act actually begin to trend. The New York Times reports that, “an estimated 1,600 people have committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.” Are the many deaths a coincidence, or does that bridge serve as some sort of morbid invitation that pulls people to their deaths below? In a less publicized issue, a man recently shot himself at Arlington Cemetery–a well known final resting place for veterans. We all know that suicide is caused by untreated depression and mental illness, yet it is unclear why people choose similar or symbolic places to end their lives. Most importantly, how can this epidemic be stopped?

How Local Government Can Help  

Despite San Francisco’s typically moderate temperatures and sunny skies, the Golden Gate Bridge can be a dark and ominous site. It is the number one spot for suicides in the United States, with 46 suicides reported last year alone.

Recently, the directors of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District voted to erect a “suicide barrier,” in hopes of minimizing attempts and deaths. The “suicide barrier,” would be a 20 foot wide net, made from stainless steel, and located 20 feet below the bridge. The Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge all have barriers, so placing one in the top location for suicide in the U.S. is a comprehensible idea. In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a bill which allowed funds to be designated to the project. According to the Times-Herald, “under the funding plan Caltrans would contribute $22 million, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission $27 million and the state $7 million.”

There are several controversies that surround this innovation. Many people who are friends and family members of Golden Gate Bridge suicide victims support this effort, and would like to see the city take action to prevent more individuals from jumping to their deaths. Yet others feel that funds toward this development would be a waste. Their argument is that a person who has a suicide plan will commit the act one way or another, so why waste government funds on the safety net? But according to helpguide.org, “most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives.” Therefore if the impulse is caught, the victim may decide to abandon their plan.

A sign for the Suicide Hotline on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Yellow Line.

Many popular places to commit suicide have taken initiative to place Suicide Hotline signs up, yet it has been proven that physical barriers are the most effective intervention technique, because suicide is impulsive in nature.

Suicide is a tough issue that affects roughly 38,364 people a year. A question that prevails is whether or not the government should interfere. In the case of the Golden Gate Bridge, the government stepped in and chose to use funds for preventative action toward the suicide epidemic in San Francisco. Little can be done to prevent a person from taking their own life, other than funding mental health facilities and programs, yet victims families, and mental health advocates remain hopeful.

How the Federal Government Can Help  

In a more recent case, the media chose to tread on the topic lightly to prevent a domino-effect from occurring. On Friday, June 20, a man was found in Arlington Cemetery, near the Pentagon Memorial–a memorial to honor the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. His method of suicide was a gunshot to the head. In an effort to discourage a trend from developing, newspapers have steered clear of heavily covering the June 20 occurrence; little has been reported on the motives for the suicide or the victim’s personal information other than he was a 92-year-old retired Air Force colonel.

Veteran suicides are on the rise–an average of 22 veterans commit suicide each day.

In order to address this issue, legislation requiring soldiers be examined before discharge was introduced in April of this year. According to the National Journal, this examination would include testing for, “nightmares, flashbacks, changes in personality, sleeping disorders, and suicidal thoughts.” Another provision to the bill allows for soldiers to be eligible for health care up to fifteen years after their service in the military has ended.

It’s a sad truth that suicide is becoming increasingly popular among Americans. Suicide is usually a result of depression and mental illness, yet there are steps that can be taken to increase the services offered to individuals suffering. Campaigns to increase awareness can be organized, services for individuals suffering can be improved and made more easily available to lower income families, and the availability of lethal medications and weapons can be more heavily monitored and withheld from precarious individuals. There’s still a lot of work to be done.

[The New York Times]

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Madeleine Stern (@M3estern) is a student at George Mason University majoring in Journalism and minoring in Theater. Her writing on solitary confinement inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in clinical counseling after graduation. Madeleine is an avid runner, dedicated animal lover, and a children’s ballet instructor. Contact Madeleine at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [rafael-castillo via Flickr]

Madeleine Stern

Madeleine Stern attended George Mason University majoring in Journalism and minoring in Theater. Her writing on solitary confinement inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in clinical counseling after graduation. Madeleine is an avid runner, dedicated animal lover, and a children’s ballet instructor. Contact Madeleine at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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